Means for supporting pottery and other goods during firing processes



Feb. 7, 1939. I w E MADDOCK 2,145,585 I MEANS FOR SUPPORTING POTTERY ANDOTHER GOODS vDURING FIRING PROCESSES Filed Feb. 15, 1937 Fig;l.

Patented Feb. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES MEANS FOR SUPPORTING POTTERY ANDOTHER GOODS DURING FIRING PROC- ESSES William Edward Maddock,Wolstanton, Stoke-on- Trent, England, assignor to John Maddock and SonsLimited, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England ApplicationFebruary 15, 1937, Serial No. 125,803 In Great Britain June 18, 1936 1Claim.

This invention relates to means for supporting pottery, enamelled ironware and other goods during firing processes, and is intended moreespecially for use in the firing of goods having I vitreous surfaceswhich are therefore held in spaced relation during firing.

The object of the invention is to economize space in the kilns, which isdone by supporting the pieces of ware at the lowest possible levels instacks or columns, so that in any given height of stack or column themaximum number of pieces can be held in position.

Further objects of the invention are to enable the supporting devices tobe held in correct alignment one above another in the stacks or columns,and at the same time to permit of their being rotated on their pillarsor supports to compensate for or minimize any crookedness or leaningwhich may develop in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a form of device inwhich the whole of the components can conveniently be made ofearthenware, fire-clay or other ceramic material, instead of asheretofore, partly of metal, which has the disadvantage of expandingwith the repeated heating and eventually fracturing the ceramic members.

Referring to the drawing which forms a part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a plan.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of a ring member to be described.

Figure 3 is in part an elevation and in part a section on line 4-4 ofFigure 1.

The complete device consists of a base or bottom stand l8 having threeor more holes 20, in each of which a vertical pillar I! is fitted. InFigure I, however, only one pillar is shown in position, the other twobeing omitted in order to show the holes 20 in the base l8. On thesepillars are fitted a series of ring members, hereinafter called pillarrings. Each pillar ring comprises a substantially cylindrical bodyportion II], which however as shown may be of maximum diameter at itscentre and taper slightly to the top and bottom. A circular hole I 1passes axially through the body portion ID. A stepped formation l2 orits equivalent is formed on the top of the pillar ring and acorrespondingly shaped formation 13 is formed on the underside thereof.A supporting arm or tongue l4 extends from the side of the ring at thebottom thereof, the underside of the arm being more or less flat and theupper side bevelled off to a thin edge as shown at l5 with a point ortip H5 at the outer end: this will be at about the same height as themiddle of the ring if a straight arm is used, but the arm will sometimesbe curved to suit the camber of the piece of ware to be supported.

Rings such as described are fitted one over the other on the circularrods or pillars ll, which are supported in a bottom stand or base ISwith the projecting tongues I4 pointing radially inwards to supportplates or other articles thereon. The base l8 has stepped or likeformations I 9 adjacent the holes 20 which receive the pillars, theformations l9 engaging with the formations I3 on the underside of thelowest pillar rings. Figure 1 shows the substantially triangular shapeof the base, and Figure 3 shows how the pillars l1 fit in the holes 20and the pillar rings are fitted on the pillars and engaged by means oftheir stepped formations. The pillar is broken away in Figure 3 and onlytwo pillar rings are shown for convenience in illustration, butnaturally the pillars would extend to any desired or suitable height,with pillar rings fitting as shown all the way up the pillars. Thepillars may be hollow if desired, and by reason of the fact that theycan be rotated in their holes they can be adjusted to compensate for orminimize any crookedness or leaning which may develop in use. A topretaining member or cover may be provided, fitting on top of thepillars, but is not necessary. The base, the pillars and the pillarrings are preferably all made of earthenware, fireclay or other ceramicmaterial. In use the underside of the plates or other articles rests onthe tips I 6 of the arms I 4, the plates being supported in a horizontalposition one above another in spaced relation.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

Apparatus for supporting face uppermost relatively flat articles ofpottery and other goods during firing processes, comprising a flatsubstantially triangular base having a plurality ofpart of each of saidring members, the arrangement being such that when the ring members areplaced in position on the pillars with their mutually stepped formationin engagement with one another and the stepped formations on the lowerfaces of the lowest ring members in engagement with the steps on thebase, all the arms are directed inwardly of the triangle.

WILLIAM EDWARD MADDOCK.

